August 16, 2024
Stop AAPI Hate and AAPI New Jersey launch a national petition demanding justice after release of police body camera footage capturing killing of Victoria Lee.
August 16, 2024 – Following today’s release of the highly disturbing body camera footage depicting the fatal police shooting of 25-year-old Victoria Lee, Stop AAPI Hate issued the following statement condemning the violent response from Fort Lee Police in New Jersey. The coalition also launched a national petition in partnership with AAPI New Jersey calling for accountability and justice.
The quote below can be attributed to Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate:
“The newly-released body camera footage confirms our worst fears: that the fatal police shooting of 25-year-old Victoria Lee was unjust and unwarranted. It depicts a horrifying chain of events that show Victoria did not pose a threat when Fort Lee Police shot her in front of her mother. As her family members have stated, they repeatedly asked police not to enter the apartment, but officers forced the door open and shot Victoria within seconds, without adequate efforts to de-escalate and prioritize non-lethal tools.
We are beyond outraged and devastated for Victoria’s loved ones. Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are on edge as we continue to grapple with the reality that no one is immune to police violence and misconduct. In just 2024, police have killed multiple Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Victoria Lee, Yong Yang, William Jae Kil Nelson, Nyah Mway, Hussain Al Raji, Jaahnavi Kandula, Win Rozario — and just three days ago, 16-year-old Easter Leafa. In five out of eight of these cases, the victims needed mental health support.
We should not have to live in a world where our lives are subject to the whims of police officers, who too often respond with unnecessary lethal force. And we must confront the fact that underserved communities are at particular risk. Black and brown people as well as Pacific Islanders experience higher levels of police brutality. Those with mental health conditions are 16 times more likely to be killed by the police, and 1 in 4 Asians killed by police were experiencing a mental health crisis.
Too many individuals and families are put in impossible situations where they need urgent mental health support but are left with no other option but to call 911. Victoria’s family did everything they could to avoid police aggression while trying to get her the help she needed. They specifically requested medical assistance and transportation to a hospital rather than law enforcement. They pleaded with responding officers to stand down. They attempted to keep the door locked as police tried to force their way in.
Victoria should be alive today, and her family deserves justice for her murder. Stop AAPI Hate supports the urgent demands of local AAPI groups in New Jersey in seeking accountability and systemic change from state leaders:
- Launch a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Victoria Lee that examines both the specific circumstances of this incident and the broader practices of the Fort Lee Police Department and other first responders in handling mental health crises. The perpetrator in this incident and all involved must be held accountable.
- Reduce unnecessary law enforcement involvement in mental health crises by significantly expanding and investing in mental health services and community-based programs that are culturally responsive and linguistically diverse. This includes fully implementing the Seabrooks-Washington Act, which would enable community responses to these crises.
- Implement comprehensive and immediate changes across all state and local law enforcement agencies, mandating close collaboration with mental health professionals and community organizations to drastically improve practices and protocols for supporting individuals experiencing mental health emergencies.
As we mourn the loss of Victoria Lee and all others taken by police violence, we also call on leaders across our 50 states to invest in alternative crisis responses that do not rely on law enforcement, including easily-accessible mental health resources and services. They must act swiftly and decisively to ensure no one else suffers the devastating consequences of unchecked police violence.”
